CM Bhagwant Mann Chairs Chhath Puja Prep Meet in Chandigarh
Synopsis
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann chaired a pre-Chhath Puja review meeting in Chandigarh on November 11, issuing strict directives to all District Collectors and police officers to ensure cleanliness, security, and lighting at puja ghats across the state.
Key Takeaways
CM Bhagwant Mann held a high-level meeting in Chandigarh on November 11 to review Chhath Puja logistics.
All District Collectors (DCs) and senior police officials were issued strict instructions covering three areas: cleanliness, security, and lighting at ghats.
The directive focuses on ensuring zero inconvenience to devotees at puja ghats during rituals.
Chhath Puja is primarily observed by communities with roots in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh now living across Punjab.
Mann reiterated that the Punjab Government is committed to celebrating every festival with full devotion and communal harmony.
Before the lamps are lit and the first devotee wades into the water, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann wants every ghat in the state spotless, safe, and properly lit. On Wednesday, November 11, Mann chaired a high-level meeting in Chandigarh with senior officials to review administrative arrangements for the upcoming Chhath Puja festival.
Posting in Punjabi on X, Mann stated: 'ਅੱਜ ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ ਵਿਖੇ ਛਠ ਪੂਜਾ ਦੀਆਂ ਤਿਆਰੀਆਂ ਸਬੰਧੀ ਉੱਚ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਅਹਿਮ ਮੀਟਿੱਗ ਕੀਤੀ' ('Today I held an important meeting with senior officials in Chandigarh regarding preparations for Chhath Puja'). He added that all District Collectors and police officers have been issued strict instructions to ensure cleanliness, security, and adequate lighting at every puja ghat, 'so that devotees face no difficulty.'
DCs and Police Put on Notice for Ghat-Level Readiness
The meeting brought together all District Collectors (DCs) and senior police officers in a coordinated pre-festival review — a standard but consequential drill before a festival that draws thousands of devotees to riverside and waterbody ghats at dawn and dusk. Mann's directives covered three non-negotiable pillars: sanitation at puja sites, security deployment, and illumination of access routes and ghats.
Chhath Puja, dedicated to the Sun God Surya and the deity Chhathi Maiya, involves rigorous rituals spread over multiple days — including standing in water during the Sandhya Arghya (evening offering) and Usha Arghya (dawn offering). Large, wet, and dimly lit crowds gathering at ghats in the early morning hours make lighting and crowd management critical safety requirements, not mere formalities.
Punjab's Inclusivity Signal to Its Bihari-Origin Communities
Chhath Puja has deep roots among communities originally from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, many of whom now live and work across Punjab's urban centres and industrial towns. Mann closed his post with an explicit statement of principle: 'ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਹਰ ਤਿਉਹਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਪੂਰੀ ਸ਼ਰਧਾ ਤੇ ਭਾਈਚਾਰਕ ਸਾਂਝ ਨਾਲ ਮਨਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਵਚਨਬੱਧ ਹੈ' ('The Punjab Government is committed to celebrating every festival with full devotion and communal harmony').
The statement is a deliberate reach across communities — affirming that the Aam Aadmi Party-led state government treats a festival associated with migrant workers and eastern-Indian diaspora with the same institutional seriousness as festivals with a larger indigenous Punjabi following.
When ghats are clean, lit, and policed on the night of Chhath — that commitment gets its real test.
Point of View
Security, lighting) mirrors a template AAP has used in Delhi to build goodwill among Purvanchali voters, now being replicated at the state level in Punjab. By anchoring the message in 'communal harmony,' the government also quietly positions itself as a counterweight to any communal polarisation around the festival season. The real political dividend depends entirely on execution at the district level.
NationPress
11 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did CM Bhagwant Mann hold a meeting for Chhath Puja preparations?
CM Mann convened the meeting to issue advance directives to all District Collectors and police officials, ensuring that ghats used for Chhath Puja rituals are clean, properly lit, and secured so devotees face no difficulties during the festival.
Where was the Chhath Puja preparation meeting held?
The meeting was held in Chandigarh , the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, on November 11, 2026 .
Who celebrates Chhath Puja in Punjab?
Chhath Puja is primarily observed by communities with roots in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh , many of whom live and work in Punjab's industrial towns and urban centres.
What instructions were given for Chhath Puja ghats in Punjab?
CM Mann directed all DCs and police officers to ensure cleanliness, security, and adequate lighting at all puja ghats across the state before the festival.
What is AAP's stance on Chhath Puja in Punjab?
The Aam Aadmi Party -led Punjab Government has stated it is committed to celebrating every festival with 'full devotion and communal harmony,' signalling institutional recognition of Chhath Puja as a major public event in the state.
